Few Tenn. Universities Make Annual U.S. News Ranking

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - U.S. News has released its annual ranking of the nation’s universities and colleges and Tennessee’s public institutions did not fare well this year.

Only one public school made the national top 100. Cookeville’s Tennessee Tech placed 32nd. UT-Martin and Austin Peay State placed 46th and 69th respectively on the southern regional list.

Tennessee’s private institutions did somewhat better. Vanderbilt University was ranked 17th on the U.S. News national list. Belmont University placed 7th on the southern regional list, while Lipscomb University came in at number 20.

Rhodes College, The College of the South, Lee College and King College all placed in the top 100 on national and regional lists.

Criteria used to rank the schools includes selectivity, graduation rates, and retention.